The present invention relates to a trouble-free connector with lock mechanism, which in particular, is relatively simple in structure and can be easily and quickly coupled and uncoupled.
Owing to the high development of computer hardware, the electrical connector, one of the basic parts in electronic transmission, has become smaller in volume and more reliable in computerized and electronic communication, thereby effectively saving assembling and operating space and preventing the delivery of electrical signals and computerized information from interruption. French Pat. No. 1455850; German Pat. No. 2063258; Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. 53-110489 and French Pat. No. 2447103 have already revealed electrical connectors that, when a plug and a socket are coupled with each other, a lock mechanism is automatically actuated to insure the coupling of the plug and the socket, free from abnormal disengagement problems. But, these connectors are still in the "in-the-work" stage, are not practical and have some drawbacks, such as: in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. 53-110489, it is not possible to connect the plug and the socket while holding the coupling sleeve, thereby making the coupling operation very inconvenient.
An improvement on the functions of the existing connectors is disclosed in Republic of China patent application Ser. No. 7325709 entitled "Connector with lock mechanism" (see FIGS. 2 & 3). However, that connector still has the following disadvantages: (1) it is too complicated to be economically put into production because (a) it is equipped with a coupling sleeve 1, a locking spring 2, a pair of support bars 3, engagement members 4 and a coil spring 5 and (b) it is limited in construction due to space requirements necessary for axially disengaging the bar 3 from the insertion slot 6 while the protrusion 2a is located on and radially engages the locking recess 7. In this position, since the spring 2 springs back, the value d1, which is the sum of thickness of the protrusion 2a of the spring 2 and the bar 3, must be greater than the width d2 of the slot 6; (2) it can easily malfunction due to defects in the actuating process that arise from the bad effects to the spring 5, the bars 3, and the other contacting portions, which damage and shorten the service life of the whole plug and socket, due to the force of impact resulting from the injecting action of the bar 3 which is hastily injected into the space of the slot 6 when the spring 2 automatically springs back with an actuating injection force towards the spring 5. This occurs when the spring 2 has accomplished the engagement into the recess 7 when coupling the plug and the socket; and (3) a secondary locking action is required to finish both the locking action after the spring 2 has been fully injected into the recess 7 and the secondary disengaging action after the bar 3 has been fully pulled out from the slot 6. Therefore, total locking and engaging procedures and operations are relatively long and complicated.